Feeling Brave?

In what has to be possibly the ultimate test in body confidence, artist Spencer Tunick is once again looking for volunteers to strip off in the name of art. The artist is looking to recruit 1000 people to strip off for his next live installation to mark the tenth anniversary of the Lowry gallery in Salford. Up for it? When Spencer Tunick did an installation on these shores around 5 years ago, I signed up, booked the day off work and……

Image from perdue.com

……….I completely chickened out. A few days later at work my MD exclaimed, “Did you hear about those crazy fruitcake pervs who stripped off all their clothes and paraded around naked for some artist?!?” I stayed silent and suddenly became very engrossed in my work. I’m toying with the idea again but I think I’m even less likely to go ahead with it now than I was back then. I’ve watched countless episodes of “How to Look Good Naked” but even Gok would have a job persuading me to get my bits out for this one. It’s not like it’s a five-minute thing really, is it? Has anyone ever participated in a Spencer Tunick installation? Would you do it? Have you already signed up? Tell all!

We just had him do a photo shoot in Sydney and ummm yeah there were a few perves there amongst the participants and even more lining up watching it all happen which I don’t agree with. It was a media frenzy with all the major channels interviewing participants but naturally as media would have it , the ones interviewed had perfect boobs and bods !

I used to live in Sydney and was really bummed I wasn’t there last month to take part in the shoot Spencer did there. I saw a doco on him a few years ago and it just looked phenomanal. One of my best Syndey friends DID go though and this is exactly what he wrote on facebook about it:

The Spencer Tunick shoot was awesome fun. A little chilly, but great to see people of all ages, sizes, sexes and colours, gay and straight together. I highly recommend it to anyone who hasn’t tried……

And then what he wrote in an email to me:

I think I can say (even a few days after) that it was one of the best things I have ever done. There were NO buff people. It was all different but all average. Saggy bums, saggy boobs, hairy backs – everything we get self-conscious about. If someone has bad self body image, I would highly recommend doing a Spencer Tunick shoot. I was blown away by the public support. At 4am, Macquarie St was gridlocked back to parliament, and the queue of people stretched from the Opera House forecourt back to West Circular Quay.

I’d totally do it. As a couple of people above had mentioned, Tunick did a shoot on 1 March in Sydney. I was signed up to go… until I realised I was flying to London that day. I seriously considered lugging my big suitcase to the photo shoot anyway, until I realised how much ofa a pain in the arse that would be. I was devastated I couldn’t take part.

My boyfriend went and his mother (who has a Masters in Art History) was absolutely thrilled he was taking part. The shoot started at 4am and went for about four hours. While only one shot makes it as the final product, the participants were put in a variety of different poses both inside and outside the Opera House (so it’s unlikely someone will be forced to fart in your face!). In spite of being incredibly tired and a bit cold, my boyfriend thought it was great.

I completely disagree with Sabrina when she says this isn’t art. The really interesting thing about Spencer Tunick is that as his shoots have gotten more and more attention, it becomes less and less about the final picture. It becomes more of an installation, which is pretty impressive when that installation shuts down part of a major city. I think these shoots are fabulous and I definitely DEFINITELY will be one of Tunick’s pictures eventually.

I’m a size 20 and participated in two Spencer Tunick installations in The Netherlands and would do it again if I had the chance!! Not because I “look good naked”, or am a nudist or whatever. It’s not about nakedness or sex etc. You become illustrative material… I just did it in the name of art and it was a great and freeing experience. You temporarily change the structure of a building, the sight of a scenery or whatever. Its so impressive… The great memory will last forever! So be brave girl. Do it!

PS
If you’d like to hear more about my experience with Spencer Tunick etc., feel free to email me 🙂 .